Door latch operating mechanism



Aug. 31, 1954 5 N. JACOB] ,687

DOOR LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed June 50, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet lEmA/I Jaaabz Aug. 31, 1954 E. N. JACOB] DOOR LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1951 I Edward Ja'aabz 1, 1954 E. N. JACOB!DOOR LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 30, 1951Patented Aug. 31, 1954 UNl'iED STATES ?A TENT OFFICE DOOR LATCHOPERATING MECHANISM Application June 30, 1951, Serial No. 234,563

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to door latch operating mechanisms of the pushbutton type now used extensively on automobile doors, and similar tothat of my copending application Serial No. 127,596 filed November 16,1949, now Patent No. 2,660,046 granted November 24, 1953.

Door latch operating mechanisms of this type are most conveniently, butnot necessarily, mounted on a post forming part of the door handle withthe push button actuator accessible at the front of the post for manualdepression. The actuator preferably comp-rises a sleeve-like casingconstrained to back and forth sliding motion in a bore in the post, anda lock cylinder rotatable in the casing and projecting from the front ofthe post provides the push button as well as the means for locking andunlocking the door.

Rotation of the lock cylinder as well as inward depression of theactuator is transmitted to the locking and latching mechanism on thedoor through an operating shaft projecting from the rear of the-postinto the interior of the door; and it is one of the main objects of thisinvention to provide an improved rotation and thrust transmittingconnection between the push button actuator and the shaft by which asingle spring acting upon the actuator through its connection with theshaft may be utilized not only to hold the actuator in its foremostposition on the door but to also cooperate with the elements of thethrust transmitting connection between the actuator and the shaft tohold the shaft in any of a number of different positions of angularmisalignment with respect to the actuator.

Another object of this invention residesin the provision of a pushbutton door latch operating mechanism of the character described whereinthe operating shaft has a substantially universal joint connection withthe lock cylinder by which rotation is transmitted from the cylinder tothe shaft, and wherein end thrust is transmitted to the operating shaftthrough the engagement of cooperating parts on the casing for thecylinder and the shaft.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of anovel connection between the operating shaft and the lock cylinder bywhich the lock cylinder may be held against displacement from its casingprior to assembly of thepush button latch operating mechanism in thedoor handle.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of novel meansfor transmitting endwise motion of the operating shaft to the latchmechanism on the door and which means comprises a collar on theoperating shaft, adjustablysecured to the shaft to accommodate forvariations in the positions of the parts on the automobile door.

A further object of this invention resides'in v the provision ofimproved detent means for defining the different positions of rotationof the lock cylinder.

still another object of the invention resides in the provision of anovel spring seat for anchoring one end of the return spring in-the postof the door handle, and which is so constructed that it may be snappedinto place in the bore of the door handle post during assembly of thelatch operating mechanism therein.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, andmore particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understoodthat such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereinafter disclosedinvention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of thephysical embodiments of the invention constructed in accordance with thebest modes so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional View through the door of anautomobile illustrating the application of the door latch operatingmechanism of this invention to the door handle, parts of the handlebeing broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2-is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the doorhandle post and the latch operating mechanism 1 therein;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through Figure 2 taken alongthe plane of the line 33;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 2 along theplane of the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 2 along theplane of the line 55;

Figure 6 is a group perspective view of the push button actuator, theoperating shaft, and the elements for coupling the same together,with-the parts disconnected;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the anchor member for the push buttonreturn spring;

3 illustrating the manner in which the operating shaft is connected withthe push button actuator to form a subassembly therewith prior to itsinstallation in the post of the door handle;

Figures 9 and 10' are views illustrating a modified construction of thelatch operating collar on the operating shaft;

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a further modification of the latchoperating collar; and

Figure 13 is still another form of latch operating collar.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in whichlike numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 5 generally designates an automobile door having a handle 5mounted on the exterior thereof by means including a post 1 having abore 8 therethrough to accommodate the latch operating mechanism of thisinvention. At its inner end the post projects through a molding strip 9on the exterior of the door and a hole It] in the outer door panel sothat the rear extremity of the post lies inside the door; and the handlemay be permanently aflixed to the door with a shoulder [2 on the postengaging the molding strip 9 by a clip [3 projecting into oppositenotches M in the post and sprung against the inner surface of the outerdoor panel as shown best in Figure 1. The other end of the door handle(not shown) may also be secured to the door in a similar fashion.

The push button door latch operating mechanism .of this inventioncomprises an actuator [6 in the bore 8 of the post, so that the postprovides guide means to guide the actuator for back and forth slidingmotion substantially perpendicular to the door. The push button I!normally projects out of the front of the post or guide means andfacilitates inward depression of the actuator toward the door in a latchreleasing direction, and such inward depression of the actuator istransmitted to a door latch lever I9 through a collar 22} on anoperating shaft 2|.

The actuator It comprises a sleeve-like casing 23 and a lock cylinder 24rotatable in the casing by means of a suitable key 25. The casing isconstrained to back and forth sliding motion in the guide means providedby the post i by the engagement of diametrically opposite ribs 21 on theexterior of the casing in longitudinal grooves 28 in the wall of thebore surrounding the easing. At its rear end, the casing has a bore 30to rotatably receive a reduced rearward extension 3! on the lockcylinder 24, while the barrel proper 32 of the cylinder is rotatablyreceived in a larger bore 33 in the casing opening to its front end.Consequently, the shoulder 34 defined by the junction of the barrel andthe reduced end 3| of the lock cylinder is engageable with the forwardlyfacing shoulder at the bottom of the counterbore 33 in the casing tolimit endwise insertion of the lock cylinder into the casing, or statedin another Way, to preclude rearward displacement of the lock cylinderout of the casing.

The front end of the lock cylinder has an enlarged head 36 thereon whichprovides the push button I! and which in the present case has a shell 31of thin stainless steel fixed thereover to enhance the appearance of thepush button. The sleeve has an annular flange curled radially inwardlyas at 38 into tight engagement with the front of the head 36, while therear end portion of the sleeve is flared radially outwardly as at 39 toprovide a forwardly facing annular abutment on the lock cylinderengageable with an annular abutment 40 on the front of the post andsurrounding the push button to preclude displacement of the lockcylinder as well as the casing from the front of the bore in the post.

In order to preclude the entrance of water, dust or other dirt into therestricted mouth of the bore defined by the annular abutment 40, aresilient gasket 4| is preferably interposed between said abutment and ametallic washer 42 slidingly seated against the outwardly flared flange39 on the sleeve 31.

As will be brought out in greater detail hereinafter the lock cylinderis yieldingly held in its foremost position with the push button I!thereof projecting out of the restricted mouth in the post and tomaintain the seal provided by the resilient washer or gasket 4|effective to keep water, dust or other dirt from getting into themechanism.

According to this invention the operating shaft 2| is fiat and has arotation transmitting connection with the lock cylinder and a thrusttransmitting connection with the casing.

For this purpose the reduced rear end 3| of the lock cylinder isbifurcated to provide laterally spaced jaws 44 extending longitudinallyrearwardly beyond the casing from a point forwardly of its rearextremity. The flat forward end portion of the operating shaft ispositioned between the jaws 44 and is embraced by the legs 46 of aU-shaped clip 41 also received between the jaws with the bight 48 of theclip extending across the front extremity of the operating shaft.Attention is directed to the fact that the legs of the clip aresubstantially parallel and rather closely overlie the fiat sides of theoperating shaft, while the inner opposing sides of the jaws 44 convergeforwardly toward one another and provide surfaces which lie closelyadjacent to the bight end of the Clip and thus provide for thetransmission of rotation from the lock cylinder to the clip and theshaft.

Also forming a part of the rotation transmitting connection between thelock cylinder and the shaft is a cross pin 50 passing through the frontend of the shaft and the legs of the clip 41, and having its oppositeends loosely received in enlarged apertures 5| in the jaws aligning on acommon axis normal to the axis of the lock cylinder. The cross pin 50 isof uniform diameter throughout its length except for a reduced medialportion 52 thereof which is nor mally received in the narrow forwardportion 53 of a longitudinally elongated slot in the front end of theoperating shaft so that the pin is locked against endwise displacementfrom the cylinder.

The legs 46 of the U-shaped clip also have slots 54 therein elongated inthe direction of the lock cylinder axis to permit limited back and forthrocking motion of the clip and shaft flatwise between the jaws as wellas floating motion of the clip and shaft lengthwise of the cylinderaxis, limited in one direction by the bridging engagement of the ends ofthe bight 48 of the clip across the rear end of the casing. At the rearthereof the slot in the operating shaft is enlarged as at 55 to adiameter slightly larger than that of the cross pin, and thisenlargement must be aligned with the slots 54 and 5| in the clip and thejaws of the lock cylinder to permit endwise movement of the pin to andfrom its position connecting the parts together.

Because of the distance of the enlarged portion 55 of the shaft slotfrom the front extremity of the shaft, it will be readily apparent thatthe I shaft must be-swungto a position substantially crosswise of thelock cylinder axis,-as shownin Figure 8, toenable insertion and/orremoval of the pin as described. The front extremity of theshaft,however, is preferably rounded as at 51- so that after insertion of thecross pin and a-slight amount of endwise motion of the shaft in thedirection to engage its narrow slotted portion around the reduced medialportion of the cross pin, the shaft 'may'be pivoted about the pintowardalignment with the cylinder axis, as indicated in Figure 8A. Suchpivotalmotion, of course, brings the rounded front extremity of theshaft intoengagement with the bight of the U-shaped clip with the resultthat the clip is cammed forwardly in the direction to bridge the ends ofthe bight across the rear extremity of the casing, and the shaft iscammed rearwardly to carry the enlarged end ofits slot further out ofalignment with respect to the pin and the holes in the jaws 64.

When the cross pin has been inserted in the manner described, not onlyis the operating shaft hingedly pinned to the lock cylinder but thelatter is held assembledwith its casing against forward displacementtherefrom-by the bridging engagement of the bight of the U-shaped clipacross the rear end of the lock casing. This facilitates installation ofthelatch operating mechanism of this invention as a subassemblyinthebore of the'door handle post, which installation is effected from therear of the post.

End thrust, of course, is imparted'to the'operating shaft in consequenceto inward depression of the actuator through the bight of the U- shapedclip interposed between the rear end of the casing and the rounded frontextremity of the operating shaft. When properly installed in the post ofthe door handle all end play between the parts of the thrusttransmitting connection described is taken up and the parts held againstrattling by the'return spring 50 for the push button actuator. Themanner in which .the spring is anchored to the door handle post and themanner in which its expansive force is applied to the actuator throughthe operating shaft constitute highly important features of thisinvention.

The return spring 60 is a helically wound compression spring encirclingthe forward portion of the operating shaft and is confined in the boreof the post or guide means between front and rear cup-like reactionmembers GI and 62, respectively, encircling the ends of the spring. Therear cup member 62 serves as an anchor for the rear of the spring andmay be conveniently fabricated from a strip of sheet metal rolled up toform a split sleeve, as shown best in Figure 7. Inwardly directed tangsor flanges 63 on the rear of the sleeve provide a seat against which thespring engages, and outwardly and rearwardly directed tangs 64 also onthe rear of the sleeve are sprung into suitable holes65 in the wall ofthe post to connect the sleeve thereto and anchor the same against therearward thrust of the return spring 60.

Inasmuch as the rear spring anchor 62 is a split sleeve it may becontracted sufficiently to enable the same to. be inserted into the boreof the door handle post from the rear thereof, while the resiliency ofthe metal of which it is formed permits the same to assume a radiallyexpandedposition as seenin Figure 3 holding its tangs 64 engaged in theapertures 65 in the wall of the door handle'post.

The forward cup 6|, of course, receivesthe front end portion of thecompression-spring '60 and the bottom-of the cup has an aperture 61therein large enough to "slidably accommodate the rear extremity of thecylinder. *"Hence the spring fifl'urges the cup Bl forwardly against theopposite projecting ends of the cross pin -"50' which in turn is pushedforwardly to'bring' its reducedmedial portion 52 intothe forwardextremityof the slot 53in the operating shaft, as seen-best in'Figure 2.Consequently the force of the return spring is utilized to hold therounded front extremity of the operatin shaft in frictional contact withthe bight of the U-shaped clip and the bight engaged across the rear endof the lock casing.

In this manner the lock casing is yieldingly urged forwardly to carrywith it thelock cylinder through the engagement of the shoulder at thebottom of the counterbore 33 in the casing with the shoulder 34 at thejunction of the barrel and reducedrearward extremity of the lockcylinder, with the result that the-outwardly flared flange or abutment39 on the lock cylinder is pressed against the resilient sealing washer4| in the front or mouthof the'borein the door handle post.

Moreover such transmission of the forward expansive forceof the returnspring 60 through the thrust transmitting connectionbetween' theoperating shaft and the casing is utilized to establish engagementbetween'the rounded front extremity of'theoperating shaft and the bightof the U-shaped clip with sufiicient friction therebetween as toenablethe shaft to be held inany of a number of different positions ofangular adjustment about the axis of the cross pin 50. In thisconnection also it will be noted thatthe pin and 'slot connectionbetween-the shaftand the cylinder provides forlimited'lateral swinging.of the shaft flatwisebetween the "jaws ontherear of the lock cylinder.This universal adjustability of the operating shaft thus greatly'facilitates'the application of the door handle, 'Wlthj'.th' latchoperating mechanism'in place thereinyto'the automobiledoor inthe-eventof variationsi'inithe positions of the shaft operated parts onthe'door.

With the door latch operatin mechanism shown: in thedrawings the lockcylinder may be rotated in opposite directions from an intermediatekeyinserting and removing'position. "The door is adapted to belocked-by'rotationof; the cylinder (by the key) in one direction fromsaid intermediate position and unlocked by rotation of the cylinderin-the oppositedirectionfromithe intermediate .key inserting andremovingposition. Rotation of the lock cylinderinthedoor unlockingdirection-actuates a lock boltlU on :the inner door panel, through theoperatingeshaft 2!, to an inoperative position freeing the latch lever19 for swinging motion about its pivot 1|. Such swingin -motion oftheJatch leverisaimparted thereto by'the collar 20 on the operatingshaft in consequence toinward depression'ofthe push: button actuatorafter the return-:offlthe cylinder to its intermediate position ofrotation. The'latchlever I9,: of .icourse operates the doorlatchmechanism to disengage it from a catch 12 on the. door frame.

Rotation of the lock 'cylinderinthe door looking direction-actuates thelock-bolt 10 to an'operative position at which-jaws I3 thereon'engagearound'anarm 14 on--the latch lever l9 to preelude swingin --motionthereof. Consequently 1 7 when the-door is locked neither the latchlever I9 nor the push button itself can be actuated.

These different positions of rotation of the lock cylinder, that is, theintermediate key inserting and removing position thereof as well as thelimits of rotation of the cylinder in the door locking and unlockingdirections, are defined by detent means forming part of the thrusttransmitting connection between the lock casing and the operating shaft.For this purpose the rear end of the casing has diametrically oppositenotches 16 formed therein into which the rounded bight 48 of theU-shaped clip snaps under the influence of the return spring 60 wheneverthe lock cylinder and the bight connected therewith have been rotated tothe intermediate key inserting and withdrawing position to define saidposition and yieldingly resist rotation of the cylinder in eitherdirection. At circumferentially opposite sides of the notches 16, therear end of the casing slopes forwardly as at 11 toward diametricallyopposite abrupt radial shoulders or rotation stops [8, engageable by thebight 48 of the U-shaped clip to define the limits of rotation of thecylinder in the door locking and unlocking directions.

It is noteworthy that the return spring 60 at all times affords springpressure for the detent means described, while the sloping rear edgeportions l! on the casing serve to cam the bight of the clip slightlyrearwardly in a direction to compress the return spring during return ofthe lock cylinder to its intermediate position to thus yieldingly resistsuch return rotation of the cylinder and make it unlikely that thecylinder will be rotated past the key inserting and withdrawing positiondefined by the engagement of the bight of the clip in the notches 16 ofthe casing.

It is also highly important to note that the force of the return springis utilized to hold the bight of the clip engaged in the notches 16 ofthe casing with sufficient friction as to enable the operating shaft tobe yieldingly held in different lateral as well as angular positions ofadjustment. In other words, there i sufficient friction in the universaljoint connection between the shaft and the cylinder that the shaft canbe swung to and yieldingly maintained in any desired angular positionrelative to the cylinder axis, within the limits of the connection.

Inasmuch as production manufacturing methods preclude absolute accuracyin the disposition of the latch lever [9 with respect to the collar 20on the operating shaft, it is necessary to make the collar adjustablealong the length of the shaft. It is also desirable to make thisadjustable connection sufficiently strong to withstand hammer blowsexerted upon the push button by unauthorized persons in an attempt todefeat the look.

For these purposes the collar 20 is preferably connected to theoperating shaft as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 where the shaft isshown provided with a medial laterally offset portion 80 with flanges 8|bent from the opposite side edges thereof to give the offset portion achannelshaped cross section. The collar 20 is in the form of a stampedsheet metal cup and is fastened to the offset portion of the shaft bymeans of a screw 82 passing through the bottom of 'the cup and the shaftwith its extremity threading into a square nut 83 fitting between theflanges 8| on the shaft so that the nut cannot rotate relative to thescrew. The underside of the nut and the adjacent inner side of the shaftagainst which 8 it seats are both provided with relatively closelyequi-spaced matching ridges 84 which interlock with one another when thescrew is tightened to very effectively hold the collar againstlongitudinal shifting on the shaft. The hole 85 in the shaft throughwhich the screw passes is elongated lengthwise of the shaft, however, sothat upon loosening of the screw, the nut may be shifted lengthwise ofthe shaft to engage any desired set of matching ridges thereon to thusprovide the necessary adjustability of the collar.

Several other ways of adjustably securing the collar to the shaft areillustrated in Figures 9 to 13 inclusive. In Figure 9 the operatingshaft has equi-spaced teeth 86 cut in one side edge thereof andengageable with a tooth 81 formed in one corner of an enlarged axialaperture 88 through a circular collar 20. The teeth are held engaged bymeans of a set screw 89 threading into the side of the collar and.bearing against the side of the operating shaft to hold the shaftagainst fiatwise motion in the aperture 88 in a direction to disengageits teeth from the tooth on the collar. When the screw is loosened,however, the teeth may be disengaged and the collar freed for lengthwiseadjustment on the shaft.

A slight variation of this connection between the shaft and collar isshown in Figure 11 and 12, although here it is unnecessary to providethe collar 20 with a tooth as in the previous embodiment. In this case aset screw 89 not only holds the shaft edgewise against one side of theaperture in the collar but also engages the toothed edge of the shaft toadjustably lock the collar in place thereon.

In Figure 13 the collar 20" is likewise circular and has a longitudinalslot 9| through its side opening into an enlarged aperture 92 extendingaxially through the collar. In this case the operating shaft 2| isclamped against one side of the aperture 92 by the tapered shank 93 of ascrew 94 threaded into the collar and passing through the aperturetherein. In this form of the connection, however, the collar is heldsecured on the shaft by friction.

From the foregoing description taken together with the accompanyingdrawings it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatthis invention provides push button latch operating mechanism ofimproved construction wherein a minimum of parts performing multiplefunctions assure the simplicity and ruggedness to withstand roughhandling as well as ease of assembly in the door handle.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a lock of the character described: a sleeve-like casing having aforwardly facing shoulder therein; a lock cylinder rotatable in thecasing and having a rearwardly facing shoulder thereon to engage theshoulder on the casing for precluding rearward displacement of thecylinder out of the casing; an elongated operating shaft; and meansproviding an end to end driving connection between the cylinder andshaft affording the shaft a limited degree of universal motion relativeto the cylinder, comprising laterally spaced jaws on the rear endportion of the cylinder extending rearwardly out of the casing from apoint forwardly of its rear end, said jaws having holes therein arrangedon a common axis crosswise of the cylinder axis and spaced a distancebehind the rear end of the casing, a U- shaped clip loosely receivedbetween said jaws and thereby connected with the cylinder to rotatetherewith, the opposite ends of the bight of the clip projectinglaterally from the space between the jaws to bridge across the rear endof the casing, and the legs of the clip extending rearwardly from thebight and having holes therein registering with the holes in the jawsbut elongated in a direction perpendicular to the bight, a front endportion on the shaft having flat sides and received between and embracedby the legs of the clip and having a rearwardly elongated hole thereinof less width than that of the holes in the legs of the clip, the frontend portion of the shaft hole registering with the holes in the legs ofthe clip and said jaws, and the rear end portion of said hole in theshaft being enlarged at a location rearwardly of the holes in the jawsin the foremost position of the shaft relative to the lock cylinderdefined by the en gagement of the bight of the clip with both the rearend of the casing and the front extremity of the shaft, and a pinextending through the holes in the shaft and the clip legs with its endsloosely received in the holes of the jaws to pivotally connect the shaftwith the cylinder while permitting limited lateral swinging of the shaftand clip between the jaws, said pin having a reduced medial portionreceived in the narrow forward portion of the shaft hole so that the pinis held against endwise displacement by the shaft, while the shaft isheld by the bight of the clip against endwise movement relative to thecylinder to a pin removing position in which the enlarged rear end ofthe shaft hole aligns with the pin, whereby the connection between thecylinder and the shaft and clip precludes forward displacement of thecylinder out of the casing and the pin can be removed to permit forwarddisplacement of the cylinder out of the casing only when the shaft isswung about the pin axis to a position substantially crosswise of thecylinder axis and in which position the shaft may be moved endwisesubstantially parallel to the bight of the clip, without interferencetherefrom, to bring the enlarged rear of the shaft hole into alignmentwith the pin.

2. In a lock of the character described: a sleeve-like casing having aforwardly facing shoulder therein; a lock cylinder rotatable in thecasing and having a rearwardly facing shoulder thereon to engage theshoulder on the casing for precluding rearward displacement of thecylinder out of the casing; an elongated operating shaft; and meansproviding an end to end driving connection between the cylinder and theshaft affording the latter a limited degree of universal motion relativeto the cylinder, comprising laterally spaced jaws on the rear endportion of the cylinder extending rearwardly out of the casing from apoint forwardly of its rear end, said jaws having holes therein arrangedon a common axis crosswise of the cylinder axisand spaced a distancebehind the rear end of the casing, a front end portion on the shafthaving fiat sides and received between and loosely embraced by'said jawsof the cylinder and having a 'rearwardly elongated hole therein ofconsiderably less width than the diameters of the holes in the cylinderjaws, the rear end portion of said hole in the shaft being enlarged, apin having its ends loosely received in the holes of the cylinder jawsand having an intermediate portion normally passing through the narrowforward portion of the hole in the shaft to pivotally connect the shaftwith the cylinder while permitting limited lateral swinging of the shaftbetween the cylinder jaws, spaced shoulders on said pin engageable withthe opposite sides of the front end portion of the shaft adjacent to thenarrow portion of the hole therein to preclude endwise displacement ofthe pin out of its position pivotally connecting the shaft to thecylinder, said shoulders being of a size to pass through the enlargedrear portion of the shaft hole whenever the shaft is moved endwise inadirection to align said enlarged portion of the hole with the pin, anda bridging element connected with the lock cylinder to rotate therewith,said bridging element extending across the rear end of the casing andthrough the space between the cylinder jaws ahead of the front extremityof the shaft to block forward endwise motion of the shaft to said pinremoving position, whereby the lock cylinder is held against forwarddisplacement out of the easing as long as the shaft is substantially inend to end relation with the cylinder, and whereby the shaft must beswung about the axis of the pin to a position substantially crosswise ofthe cylinder axis to enable endwise motion of the shaft to the pinremoving position without interference from said bridging element.

3. Push button door latch operating mechanism of the characterdescribed, comprising: guide means having a bore therethrough; anactuator in said bore including a sleeve-like casing constrained to backand forth sliding motion in said bore and having a forwardly facingshoulder thereon, and a lock cylinder rotatable in said casing andhaving a rearwardly facing shoulder thereon to engage the shoulder onthe casing for precluding rearward displacement of the cylinder out ofthe casing, said cylinder having a portion at its front end accessibleatthe front of the guide means to provide a push button by which rearwardmotion may be imparted to the cylinder and the casing; an elongatedoperating shaft having one end projecting out of the rear of the guidemeans and having its forward end in the bore thereof adjacent'to therear of the casing; a rotation transmitting connection between thecylinder and the shaft adjacent to the rear of the casing; means fortranslating rearward motion of the actuator into rearward endwise motionof the shaft, comprising a bridging element interposed between the rearof the casing and the forward extremity of the shaft; a compressionspring confined in said bore behind the casing; means connected with theoperating shaft for receiving the expansive force of the spring and fortranslating said force into forward thrust on the lock cylinder throughsaid bridging element interposed between the casing and the shaft, sothat the spring yieldingly urges the actuator forwardly in the bore; andcooperating abutments on the guide means and the actuator for precludingforward displacement of the lock cylinder out of the bore and to thusdefine the forward limit of motion of the actuator.

4. Push button door latch operating mechanism of the characterdescribed, comprising: guide means having a bore therethrough and havingan annular abutment at the front thereof projecting into the bore anddefining a restricted mouth for the bore; an actuator in said boreincluding a sleeve-like casing constrained to back and forth slidingmotion in the bore and having a shoulder thereon facing in the directionof the mouth of the bore, and a lock cylinder rotatable in said casingand having a shoulder facing and engageable with the shoulder on thecasing for precluding rearward displacement of the cylinder out of thecasing, said cylinder having a portion at its front end projectingthrough the restricted mouth of the bore to provide a push button bywhich rearward motion may be imparted to the cylinder and the casing; anannular shoulder on the exterior of the cylinder ahead of the casingengageable with the annular abutment on the guide means to precludeforward displacement of the cylinder and casing out of the bore; anelongated operating shaft having one end projecting out of the rear ofthe guide means and having its forward end in the bore thereof adjacentto the rear of the casing; a connection between the casing and theoperating shaft by which rearward motion of the actuator is translatedinto rearward endwise motion of the shaft, said connection including abridging element interposed between the rear of the casing and theforward extremity of the shaft; a compression spring confined in saidbore behind the casing; and means connected with the operating shaft forreceiving the expansive force of the spring and for translating saidforce into forward thrust on the casing through said bridging elementinterposed between the rear of the casing and the shaft so that thespring yieldingly urges the casing and the cylinder forwardly in thebore toward a position defined by the engagement of the abutments on thecylinder and the guide means.

5. The latch operating mechanism of claim 4 further characterized by theprovision of a sleeve inside the bore of the guide adjacent to the rearend thereof and in which the rear end portion of the compression springis received, said sleeve having inwardly directed tangs at its rear endto provide a seat against which the spring reacts and having a pluralityof outwardly and rearwardly directed tangs thereon projecting into holesin the wall of the guide means to anchor the sleeve thereto against therearward thrust of the spring.

6. The door latch operating mechanism set forth in claim 5 wherein saidsleeve has a longitudinal slit through the wall thereof and is biasedtoward a radially expanded position holding said outwardly andrearwardly directed tangs thereon securely seated in the holes in thewall of the guide means, and whereby the sleeve may be I radiallycontracted sufficiently to permit its insertion into the bore of theguide means from the rear thereof.

'7. The door latch operating mechanism of claim 4 further characterizedby the provision of a rotation transmitting connection between the rearend portion of the lock cylinder and the adjacent end of the operatingshaft affording the shaft a limited degree of universal motion relativeto the cylinder.

8. Push button door latch operating mechanism of the characterdescribed, comprising: guide means having a bore therethrough; anactuator in said bore including a sleeve-like casing constrained to backand forth sliding motion in said bore, and a lock cylinder rotatable insaid casing with a portion at its front end accessible at the front ofthe guide means to provide a push button by which rearward motion may beimparted to the cylinder and the casing; an elongated operating shafthaving one end projecting out of the rear of the guide means and havingits forward end in the bore thereof adjacent to the rear end portion ofthe casing; a jaw connection between the rear end of the cylinder andthe adjacent forward end of the operating shaft through which theoperating shaft may be rotated by the cylinder; means for translatinginward depression of the actuator into rearward endwise motion of theoperating shaft comprising a U-shaped clip embracing the forward endportion of the operating shaft and extending from opposite sides of thecylinder into bridging engagement with the casing across the rear endthereof, and a cross pin projecting through a hole in the front end ofthe operating shaft and loosely received in aligned holes in the legs ofthe clip and the lock cylinder to pivotally connect the shaft with thecylinder; means defining a spring seat in said bore adjacent to the rearof the guide means; a compression spring confined in the bore of theguide means with its rear end engaging said spring seat; and means fortranslating the expansive force of said spring into a forward thrust onthe casing through the operating shaft and said part thereon, wherebythe spring yieldingly urges the actuator forwardly in the bore.

9. The door latch operating mechanism set forth in claim 8 furthercharacterized by the provision of an annular member interposed betweensaid pin and the front end of the compression spring for translating theexpansive force of the spring into forward. bias on the actuator throughthe pin, the shaft and the bight of the U-shaped clip, and whereby thespring holds the front extremity of the shaft firmly engaged with thebight of the U-shaped clip with sufficient friction as to enable theshaft to be yieldingly maintained in different positions of angularadjustment about the axis of the pin.

10. In a door latch operating mechanism of the character described:guide means having a bore therethrough; an actuator in said boreincluding a sleeve-like casing constrained to back and forth slidingmotion in said bore, a portion of said actuator being accessible formanual actuation at one end of said guide means; an elongated operatingshaft having one end projecting out of the opposite end of the guidemeans and having its forward end in the bore thereof adjacent to therear of the actuator; means for translating rearward motion of theactuator in the bore into rearward endwise motion of the shaftcomprising a bridging element connected with the front end portion ofthe shaft and bridging across the rear of the casing; a compressionspring confined in said bore behind the casing; means connected with theoperating shaft for receiving the expansive force of the spring and fortranslating said force into forward thrust on the actuator through saidbridging element and the casing, said last named means including a pinconnecting the operating shaft with the bridging member and the actuatorfor swinging movement of the shaft relative thereto; and a rounded frontextremity on the shaft held in engagement with the bridging member bythe compression spring with a force developing sufiicient friction as toenable the shaft to be held by such friction in different positions ofangular adjustment on the pin axis.

11. Push button door latch operating mechanism of the characterdescribed, comprising: elongated guide means having a bore therethrough;an actuator in said bore adjacent to the front end of the guide means,said actuator including a sleeve-like casing constrained to back andforth sliding motion in the bore, and a lock cylinder rotatable in thecasing with a portion at its front end accessible at the front of theguide means to provide a push button by which rearward motion may beimparted to the actuator; an elongated operating shaft projecting intothe bore of the guide means from the rear thereof; a rotationtransmitting connection between the rear end portion of the cylinder-andthe front end portion of the operatingshaft; means for translatingrearward motion of the actuator into rearward endwise motion of theshaft comprising an element bridging across the rear end of the casingbetween it and the front extremity of the operating shaft, and meansconnecting the bridging element with the cylinder to rotate therewithbut to move axially relative thereto toward and from engagement with therear end of the casing; a compressionspring in said bore encircling theshaft and having its rear end anchored to the guide means; meansconnected with the operating shaft for receiving the forward expansiveforce of the spring so that the spring urges the shaft forwardly intoengagement with the bridging element to press the latter against therear end of the casing, whereby the compression spring yieldingly holdsthe actuator in a forward position in the bore; and cooperating detentmeans carried by the rear end of the casing and the portion of thebridging element overlying the same to define different positions ofrotation of the cylinder in the casing.

12. Pushbutton door latch operating mechanism of the characterdescribed, comprising: guide means having a bore therethrough; anactuator in said bore adjacent to the front of the guide means andincluding a sleeve-like casing constrained to back and forth slidingmotion in the bore, and a lock cylinder rotatable in the casing with aportion thereof exposed at the front of the guide means to provide apush button by which the actuator may be manually moved rearwardly inthe bore; an elongated operating shaft having one end projecting out ofthe rear of the guide means and having its forward end in the borethereof adjacent to the rear of the actuator; a rotation transmittingconnection between the cylinder and the operating shaft providing forlimited endwise movement of the shaft axially of the cylinder; bridgingmeans on the front end portion of the shaft bridging across andengageable with the rear end of the casing to define the forward limitof motion of the operating shaft relative to the cylinder and by whichrearward motion of the actuator is translated into rearward endwisemotion of the operating shaft; a compression spring confined in saidbore and encircling the operating shaft behind the actuator; meansconnected with the guide means providing an abutment against which therear of the compression spring seats; means connected with the operatingshaft for receiving the forward expansive force of the spring and bywhich the shaft is urged forwardly to carry the bridging means thereoninto engagement with the rear end of the casing; and detent means on therear end of the casing at different angular locations thereon engageableby said bridging means under the force of the compres sion spring fordefining different positions of rotation of the lock cylinder andoperating shaft.

13. The door latch operating mechanism set forth in claim 12 whereinsaid bridging means comprises a U-shaped clip having its legs connectedwith the cylinder to rotate therewith while permitting limited motion ofthe clip axially of the cylinder, said clip having its bight interposedbetween the front of the operating shaft and the rear end of the casingto be pressed against the latter by the expansive force of the springacting upon the operating shaft; and furaxis betWeenthe'legs-of theU-shaped clip; and has a rounded front extremity engaged-with the bightof the clip under the force of the expansion springso that the shaftmay-be held by frictional engagement between its front extremity and thebight of the clip in different positions of angular adjustment'on'thepin axis.

14. The door latch operating mechanism set" forth in claim 12 whereintherear end ofthe casing is provided with diametrically. oppositenotches engaged by the bridging element to define a key inserting andremoving-position of the 1 cylinder, and has radial rotation=stopsspaced circumferentially from and at opposite sides of saiddiametrically opposite notches defining the 1 limits of rotation of thecylinder, the rear edge of the casing sloping forwardly from saidnotches toward the rotation. stops so that the compression springyieldingly resists rotation of the lock cylinder toward the keyinserting and removing position defined by engagement of the bridgingmeans in said casingnotches;

-15. Push button door latch operating mechanism of the characterdescribed,'comprising:'

guide-means having a bore therethroughyan 1 actuator in said boreadjacentto the frontof the guide means and including a sleeve-likecasing 1 constrained to back and forth'sliding motionin thebore, anda-lock cylinder rotatable in the casing with a portion thereof exposedat the front of the guide means to provide a=push-but- 'ton by which theactuator may be manually moved rearwardly in the bore; an elongatedoperating shaft having one end projecting out of the rear of the guidemeans and having its forward end in the bore thereof adjacent to therear of the actuator; a rotation transmitting connection between thecylinder and the shaft including a loose hinge connection between thecylinder and shaft whereby the shaft may swing about an axis crosswiseof the axis of the cylinder, relative thereto, said hinge connectionpermitting the shaft a limited degree of motion in a direction generallycrosswise of the hinge axis; bridging means loosely connected with theforward end of the shaft to rotate with the shaft and the cylinder, saidbridging means engaging across the rear end of the casing between thelatter and the shaft to provide an axial thrust transmitting connectionbetween the casing and the shaft; a compression spring confined in saidbore and encircling the operating shaft behind the actuator; means onthe guide means defining an abutment against which the rear of thecompression spring seats; means connected with the operating shaft forreceiving the forward thrust of the spring and by which the shaft isurged forwardly against said bridging means to hold the latter inengagement with the rear end of the casing, so that the spring urges thecasing and consequently the actuator forwardly in the bore through theaxial thrust transmitting connection between the casing and the shaft,and whereby the shaft is held engaged with the bridging means withsufficient friction therebetween as to enable the shaft to be yieldinglyheld in different positions of adjustment about the axis of its hingeconnection with the cylinder; and detentmeans on the rear end of thecasing engaged by the bridging member under the force of saidcompression spring for yieldingly holding the cylinder in anintermediate position of rotation and defining a swivel connectionbetween the shaft and the casing permitting swinging of the shaft in adirection generally crosswise of its hinge axis, the force of thecompression spring assuring sufficient friction at said swivelconnection as to enable the shaft to be yieldingly held in diiferentpositions of angular adjustment thereabout.

16. In a push button door latch operating mechanism of the type havingan endwise slidable actuator: an elongated operating shaft movableendwise with the actuator; a collar on the operating shaft a distancerearwardly of the actuator for transmitting endwise movement of theactuator and shaft in one direction to a latch mechanism to be operated;and a connection between the collar and the shaft by which the collarmay be secured to the shaft in any one of a number of differentpositions along the length of the shaft, said connection includingspaced teeth on the shaft, and means connected with the collar andreleasably engaged with the shaft teeth to preclude lengthwisedisplacement of the collar relative to the shaft. v

17. In a lock of the character described: a sleeve-like casing having aforwardly facing shoulder in its bore; a lock cylinder rotatable in thecasing bore and having a rearwardly facing shoulder thereon to engagethe shoulder on the casing for precluding rearward displacement of thecylinder out of the casing; an elongated operating shaft; meansproviding an end-to-end driving connection between the cylinder and theshaft, comprising laterally spaced jaws on the rear end portion of thecylinder extending rearwardly out of the casing from a point forwardlyof its rear end, a front end portion on the shaft having flat sides andreceived between and. loosely embraced by said jaws of the cylinder, anda pin connection between the shaft and said jaws providing for rockingmotion of the shaft about an axis crosswise of the cylinder axis as wellas limited lateral motion of the shaft; and a retaining member betweenthe jaws and interposed between the front end of the shaft and the rearof the cylinder, said retaining member extending across the rear of thecasing to preclude forward displacement of the cylinder out of thecasing.

18. The lock of claim 17 further characterized by spring means actingupon the retaining member and an adjacent portion of the shaft tofrictionally interconnect the same, whereby displacement of the shaftfrom a position in which its axis is substantially parallel to that ofthe cylinder is yieldingly resisted and the shaft may be maintained inany of a number of positions of angular misalignment reached by rockingthe shaft about the axis of its pin connection with the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,700,858 Segal Feb. 5, 1929 1,874,877 Brauning Aug. 30, 19322,174,200 Boland Sept. 26, 1939 2,206,462 Jacobi July 2, 1940 2,446,113Spiller July 27, 1948 2,468,644 Springer Apr. 26, 1949

